1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image output characteristic setting device for setting image output characteristics onto an image which is constructed from different types of image portions.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, an advanced desk top publishing (hereinafter referred to as "DTP") system has been proposed. The DTP can combine, into a composite image, different types of images such as photographic images, business graphic images such as graphs and figures, and text images.
According to the DTP, however, the entire composite image is printed with the same single printing characteristic. Accordingly, the DTP suffers from the following problems.
An operator sometimes desires to adjust the color printing characteristic to ensure satisfactory color printing of the photographic image portions. In this case, however, the business graphics image portions in the same document will often appear dull in the resultant color print. Similarly, the operator sometimes desires to adjust the color printing characteristic to ensurely satisfactorily print the vivid colors of the business graphic image portions. In this case, the photographic image portions will lose its lifelike appearance in the resultant color print.
In order to solve the above-described problems, European patent application publication No. 0 665 676 A2 has proposed to set different printing characteristics to the respective types of image portions to obtain the best result available. The best printing characteristics for the respective types of image portions, such as photographic image portions, text image portions, and illustration image portions, are set manually or automatically by a computer process.